McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet and Bear Bachmeier are all in the race to win BYU Cougars’ starting QB job. The competition is even during the first two weeks of fall camp, and the Cougs have three weeks before the season opener against Portland State. They’ve wrapped up the first week of fall camp and observations have been that there is little to no separation so far.
But just as things were settling into a balanced hum, McCae Hillstead broke the monotony with a pointed rebuttal. Last year’s mini duel between Jake Retzlaff and Gerry Bohanon was determined by turnovers during the final scrimmage. Retzlaff got the job and never gave it back. Jake did feel that he was pushed a bit early, Coug Connect host said. “I thought he was ready,” Hillstead instead responded. “I think as you get further into the season, you put in more and there’s just more stuff in general just because guys are comfortable. Okay, we ran this, now we’re going to run this off this wrinkle, right? So, I think that just happens throughout the season. So, you’re going to be a little bit more basic and base at the start. But, as far as how complicated we can get in our base plays, I feel like that was mostly all installed really by the first game.”
It was a reminder that Hillstead, a rising sophomore who came on late last year, believes he was ready from the jump. His words hinted at confidence not just in himself, but in the staff’s preparation last fall. And in this year’s three-way race, those shades of self-assurance might matter more than ever. “We had stuff going in the screen game. We had stuff going in the zone read game. Obviously, your typical man beaters, zone beaters on there,” said the host of his practice observation. “Thought the tight ends were used well… I don’t know where we’re at compared to starting a season, but we’ve got a lot of stuff that all of you seem comfortable running right now,” Hillstead added.
That comfort has translated into an unusually steady passing battle. BYU fans expecting one player to pull ahead early have seen the opposite. One day it’s Bachmeier. The next, it’s Bourguet. Then McCae Hillstead takes the reins. It’s become a carousel of flashes and grit. Bachmeier, the true freshman with a football pedigree, looked sharpest on Day 1. Bourguet, the savvy lefty transfer, turned heads on Day 2. And on Day 3, it was Hillstead. Poised, accurate, and decisive. He walked away as the clear standout.
Freshman-to-freshman connection as Bear Bachmeier takes a shot downfield and connections with LaMason Waller.
Insane grab from Waller pic.twitter.com/4EnGWO0X8V
— Casey Lundquist (@casey_lundquist) August 1, 2025
Even as the days stack up, it’s been hard to find true separation. All three have thrown impressive balls. All three have made throws they’d want back. It’s not indecision from the coaching staff; it’s a genuine logjam of quality. And it’s forcing Kalani Sitake to let the battle breathe. The staff may have to do it all over again. If there’s been one moment that stood out so far, though, it came on Day 6.
McCae Hillstead orchestrated the best drive of the day One built not on broken coverages or splash plays, but sustained execution. His first pass attempt came under pressure. DE Orion Maile-Kaufusi broke the edge, forcing Hillstead out of the pocket. On the move, Hillstead ripped a back-shoulder throw to Tiger Bachmeier. It was perfectly placed, but Mory Bamba made a fantastic break on the ball to knock it away. Just a smart, aggressive read that gave his receiver a chance.
Then came the money throw: third-and-long, ball on the far hash. Hillstead stood tall and zipped a strike to Parker Kingston for a drive-extending completion. It wasn’t flashy. But it was surgical. That sequence, more than anything, captured Hillstead’s pitch to win the job.
McCae Hillstead’s comfort in BYU’s offense comes in Fall Camp clarity
Battle remains tight, but Hillstead is beginning to find his own rhythm inside the eye of the storm. His latest remarks suggest on how Sitake’s camp has treated him so far. “You know, I think my focus has really just been on me,” Hillstead said when asked about the three-man competition. “I think people outside of the building, they get caught up like oh it’s like competition between the three, which it is. But I think I said this in, it was a media day or something a while ago, which is actually true for me. I think everyone’s got to be able to play their game.”
It’s a subtle but sharp message. Hillstead isn’t trying to win by mimicking Retzlaff’s improvisational style or matching Bear’s zip. He’s zeroing in on playing free and instinctively. “Cuz I’m not going to be able, we all have different play styles. And if I try to play to the ceiling of someone else’s play style, I’m going to limit my own ability and talent.”
Most importantly, he’s no longer overthinking the scheme. “I feel extremely comfortable. Much more comfortable than I did in spring. You know, the wheels were turning for sure. But once you get comfortable with it, it’s like you don’t think. You just play and then you’re just reacting, which for me is when I play the best.” Aaron Roderick will take this time to find the right quarterback. Philosophy is simple: let the quarterback battle last until the starter becomes the obvious choice. There is no deadline.
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